The Ghost Ship: A Midnight Play-Date
by FizzyGirl
Summary: While travelling through deep space a mysterious ship is encountered and a friendship is born between a young spacer and a lonely, lost soul. Request.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Based on an episode from an old animated television series.

* * *

Chapter One

The Red Dwarf Stinger voyaged through a seemingly empty vastness of space with nothing but darkness and distant pinpricks of light to see. The spaceship was currently heading towards Skye, planet of the S'kytri. On board were eight sentient beings and one protocol droid. Most of the passengers were sleeping as the hour was late. The lights on the ship had been turned down save for a few scattered around the many sections.

The cockpit was the liveliest of the ship with three occupants inside. Two female S'kytri occupied the two seats as they talked and giggled quietly, being careful to not wake up anyone. The other occupant was a cerise red protocol droid who seemed more interested in the systems than anything the two teenagers were saying.

Both had similar shades of green skin and each of their wings were tucked up behind them but that was where the similarities ended. Neash lounged in the pilots chair, her legs kicked out in front in a relaxed pose while one arm hung by the side of the chair and the other laid across her stomach in a peaceful manner. She had a delicate face framed with moonlight blonde hair and round eyes that housed pale green orbs. Her thin body was covered by a strapless pink dress that ended mid-thigh and matching pink boots that made her long legs look longer.

Beside her in the co-pilots chair sat Keing. She was sitting up straight with one leg crossed over the other while she leaned forward on them with her hands linking in the middle. She had short, silver hair and silver eyes that suited her sharp features well. A blanket covered most of her but underneath it was a one shoulder, red dress that covered her torso, ending at the top of her legs and at the moment, she was barefoot, having taken off her shoes at the start of the journey.

"I'm surprised you're not sleeping," commented Keing, leaning her head against the back of the chair.

"I slept most of the afternoon away," said Neash, grinning from ear to ear. "Is everyone else asleep?"

"I think so," said Keing. "Except for Yeraq. He's still soaking away in the refresher tub."

The cockpit went quiet again and as Neash looked out the front viewing window with a blank expression, Keing looked to her left at the droid standing beside her. She watched as RA clicked through the systems in the computer, seeming to check each one individually. It made her wonder if the droid was often bored when Murata was busy elsewhere or sleeping.

"Are you going to contact him?" asked Neash, suddenly, a new smile forming on her face, both eyes lighting up.

Keing's head turned back to the right to look at her companion. Out of the whole group, Neash was the one who put gossip and sleep above all things. Sometimes it was useful, like in situations like this and sometimes it was a complete and utter pain in the backside. Occasionally she speculated on what would happen if she were to tape her mouth shut and lock her in a room by herself.

But she pushed the thought aside to answer the question. "I don't think so."

The reply was honest and it was enough to make Neash's eyes widen a little in surprise. "But you two got on so well and I think he enjoyed the bare show you gave him on Paulking XIV."

The tone of her kin's words made Keing repressed the eye roll that threatened to surface. "First off, it wasn't a show and second, I wasn't naked. Only Sukin was."

"Yeah," agreed Neash with a light giggle. "And that's something we all could have done without."

Both girls giggled with their heads down, attempting to keep the noise down. But a grunt echoed up the corridor and both of them burst into laughter at realising that they'd been heard. The sound easily travelled out of the cockpit and down towards the other rooms.

Suddenly, the ship went dark, cutting off the sounds of amusement and replacing it with a small, startled yelp from Neash. Both Keing and Neash jumped to their feet, the blanket rolling off the former and bunching over her feet as they looked around, trying to see what had happened.

A yell from the other end of the ship was heard and they knew it was Yeraq coming out from the refresher and rushing towards the others, the fear in his voice as he roused the others was unmistakable. The girls remained in the cockpit, attempting to fix whatever was wrong. Keing's slender fingers typed at the console on the far right in an effort to gain back full power.

"What's our status?" she asked, directing the question to the protocol droid.

It turned on the spot to look at her, already knowing the answer. "Most systems are not functioning," said RA accurately. "All that remains in working order is the life support and the emergency lighting."

"Can you fix it?" asked Neash nervously, biting her bottom lip.

"I am not sure," replied the droid. "I will do what I can for the moment. Then I will retrieve my mistress."

RA turned back to the computer and pressed a few keys but none seemed to work. Keing sat back down and opened the draw underneath the console. Neash looked down at the sliding noise and frowned faintly, impatiently waiting to know what she was doing.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, patience gone.

"A glowrod or glow sticks or something," said Keing harshly. "We've got emergency lights but we'll need something if they fail too."

After another moment of searching Keing straightened up and gave a noise of triumph. She had found two glowrods and four unused glow sticks. Keing placed them on the top of the console and closed the draw gently with her foot before she went back to the console itself to help RA in restarting the engine or at least getting some portion of control back.

"Uh… Keing," whispered Neash.

Keing turned her head slightly but didn't look away from her task. She waited to hear what the other had to say but nothing else was forth coming.

"Keing," repeated Neash, voice barely audible.

This time Keing heard the fear thickly coating Neash's voice and she finally stopped what she was doing and looked at her instead. But Neash wasn't looking back. Her eyes were focused on something outside the ship and she was pointing out the front view port.

A trace of fear hit Keing's chest as several different scenarios passed through her mind as she turned to see what Neash had been pointing towards with wide eyes and shaking lips. Outside there was a giant luxury passenger liner drifting passed. The massive spaceship lumbered forward before it seemed to slow, almost coming to a complete halt.

* * *

A short corridor away from the lounge was the nearest sleeping quarters. It housed five small rooms, two of which were presently occupied. Radquao had one of them, wanting a little peace and privacy from the others after their long vacation. For most of the trip she had studied the planets they'd visited, sometimes to the point of annoying her friends but in her mind it had still been one of their best vacations ever.

The room she slept in was bare other than a bed lying opposite the door, vertically and a small footlocker in the corner, containing nothing. A pair of flat, black shoes sat just inside the door but the plain black skirt and top she wore remained on, the colour contrasting nicely with her green skin tone.

The silence was suddenly shattered by a strangled scream that last only seconds. It was enough to wake Radquao who bolted up right and glanced around wildly, looking for the source of the disruption. But there was no one else with her and the rest of the ship seemed quiet. On lying down and turning onto her back she noted that the emergency lights were on and it kicked her into action.

Radquao rolled off the bed in a fluid motion and in two short strides; she was at the door, tapping on the panel for it to open. But it didn't. Radquao stared at it for a second before trying the panel again and she got the same results. A terrified gasp left her mouth as a few noises surrounded her. It came from the side and she sidestepped to the other side of the room and pressed her back flat against the wall.

The lid of the footlocker on the other side was moving on its own, the metal clasp banging loudly against the lock, showing the emptiness that was inside it. Radquao's eyes expanded impossibly wide as she watched the impossible happening and she reached out and continued trying the panel with desperate taps.

* * *

A couple of rooms down were Umyd's. He was the oldest and wisest S'kytri on board. He mentored the young members of his clan and it had been his job to watch them on this trip and keep them out of trouble. And he succeeded, for the most part which was why he now meditated. He needed a rest from the unending sunshine and music that rang in his ears for days afterwards.

This room was the smallest and contained only a round, cushioned meditation chair which Umyd sat on cross-legged, the long grey robe still covering him well, the hem spilling over the side of his seat. The elderly S'kytri's blue skin showed his age as did the mound of thinning white hair on the top of his head.

The meditation was almost finished when something unperceivable entered his mind and was reflected in the feelings of unease that rose up within him. The sense rushing forwards wasn't something he'd ever encountered before. It was strange and yet intriguing which was the reason he didn't pull back. Instead, he allowed the feeling to pass through him but it wasn't the only thing that did.

A chilling laughter bounced off the walls of his room and the door open and closed on its own. The sound sent a single cold shudder down his spine but he remained focused, not wanting to lose what felt significant in its own way. Whatever it was passed but the laughter continued down the hallway and once it disappeared, Umyd opened his eyes and looked to the now closed door, the unease remaining.

* * *

On the far side of the ship was one of the other people still awake. A young, blue skinned S'kytri reclined in the refresher tub, his head resting back against a small, white pillow that had been propped back against the wall and he sighed contently for the fourth time since he'd gotten in. The water was still hot enough that spirals of steam curled upwards and the bubbles still frothed thickly around him.

A smile remained on his dapper face as he sunk a little further into the water. He ran his wet hands through his dark blonde hair and sighed again, happy to think of nothing but this relaxing moment. It felt a relief from all their activities before. It almost seemed like they'd hadn't really taken a break until now.

But the relaxation ended abruptly as an unexpected noise grabbed his attention. Yeraq sat up sharply and looked around. Nothing had changed and he was still alone. The noise was heard again and this time it sounded like it came from the towel rack.

Yeraq leaned forward, placed a hand on the edge of the tub and looked to the floor as though the answer to what had made the noise had to be down there. But there was nothing on the white tiled floor and he gave a clear look of confusion before he smirked slightly.

"Sukin? Is that you?" he asked. "It's not funny."

There was no reply and it made Yeraq swallow thickly. It sounded again and the metal tube holding the towels spun rapidly, the two towels on it dropped to the floor in rolled heaps. Yeraq stood up in the tub, all traces of the relaxation gone, now replaced with fear that numbed his legs and hands.

The lights then shut off, shrouding the refresher in total darkness, Yeraq letting out a squeal of fright. It took a minute for the emergency lights to kick in and as soon as they did Yeraq grabbed the towel on the edge of the tub and wrapped it around his waist as he ran out, determined to find the others.

* * *

Towards the rear of the ship were Murata's private quarters. The room was only four metres wide and six metres long with a low ceiling that dropped on one side. A tall, narrow metal locker sat in the far corner, opposite the door and beside it was a square mirror that hung on the wall, bordered by a solid wooden frame, with a basin made of white porcelain beneath it. A rectangular rug lay on the floor just before the bed which lay under the slope of the ceiling, draped in sheets that were white and pale shades of pink.

Murata lay asleep with the covers twisted around her legs, the blue and white stripped bra visible. The pink hair had come loose during the night and had now become a tangled mess on the pillow. The young girl's eyes moved side to side fast against the closed eyelids as though something were disturbing her dreams.

The mirror on the wall suddenly began to liquefy but the substance remained intact. It shivered as a ball of light passed through it and into the room itself. As the light slowly diminished a shape began to take the form of a small, female child. She remained in the one spot, her big, round blue eyes searching the small room with a passive expression on her face.

The young girl was pale with hair that shone silver in the dim emergency lighting. It was pulled into twin tails and reached far past her hips, the ends curling softly in long spirals. The white dress she wore was modest, reaching her ankles. The sleeves were puffy, the hem honed into points and elaborate belts of lace and ribbon chopped the dress into sections. Black shoes could be seen underneath, firmly pressed together as the girl stood in the same spot, clearly interested in the still sleeping girl.

Finally, the girl moved. She approached Murata's sleeping form and gently placed a hand on her arm. "Wake up," she whispered in a faint voice.

Murata's eyes shot open at the strange voice and it was echoed by the scared squawking of Mralkara, the Kiros bird that sat on a perch near the door. A chill ran through the air and Murata twisted the blanket and pulled it up to her chin without once taking her eyes off the stranger. But the initial fear didn't last long as Murata took a moment to study the other girl's face.

The skin was beyond pale, virtually a deathly grey. Murata sat up and pressed her back against the cool metal wall, wondering if she should speak first. Never before had something like this happened and she wasn't even sure where in the galaxy they currently were although she might've been able to take a pretty close guess.

"Who are you?" asked Murata, her voice sounding more meagre than she intended.

"Do not be afraid," came the reply. Her voice was chilling. It sounded hollow with an insinuation of melancholy. "I am Me'lan."

"Murata," she returned, placing her free hand just below her neck. "Where did you come from?"

Me'lan lifted a thin arm and raised her hand up towards her, giving a shadowy gesture for her to come closer. "I can show you."

Murata's curiosity overtook her concern and she discarded the blanket and scooted off the bed with two swift movements. Me'lan turned to face the mirror and Murata did the same but her eyes were still on her. Me'lan raised the same arm as before and she pointed to the reflective surface. Murata turned her head as well as her body and waited.

Within seconds, the mirror no longer showed their reflections. Instead it showed an area outside the spaceship as though it were a viewport. A very large passenger liner was there, seemingly drifting past casually. The back looked as though it had at some time sustained a little damage but other than that, there appeared to be nothing wrong with it.

Slowly, Me'lan turned to face the Kiros bird still squeaking indignantly behind her. Its blue and purple feathers were rifled and puffy, clearly showing its anger and insecurity about the new person in the room. Me'lan offered a vague smile but nothing else. "What is wrong with it?"

Murata turned to look at the bird before walking over to it. "Don't worry. He's just scared," assured Murata as she stroked its feathers. Slowly, they calmed and the bird's body turned sleek.

"Friend," said Me'lan, blinking once, still staring at the beautiful animal.

"How did you get in here?" asked Murata, taking the attention off the bird.

"I can show you," repeated Me'lan, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she offered a hand to the young pilot.

Murata gave it a weary glance before she held up a finger and went to the metal locker. Quickly, she grabbed her yellow and white dress with black stripes and threw it on before pulling on the matching boots and hat after brushing the knots from her hair. When she was done, she faced Me'lan again and gave a gesture behind her. Mralkara chirped once before taking flight from the perch and gently she landed on Murata's shoulder. Murata had every intention of taking her small friend with her.

Then she took a firm hold of Me'lan's hand, just managing not to flinch at the coldness of the girl's skin. They faced the mirror again and as before, it shimmered and appeared to dissolve. Murata felt lighter as she lifted into the air gently and a pure light surrounded them. Little by little it engulfed them both and suddenly, wrapped in something bright and warm and they moved forward, vanished through the mirror, neither of them registering the presence of RA behind them.

"Mistress?" called the droid, clearly alarmed. "Mistress!?"

* * *

The lounge was arguably the largest room on the ship, big enough to comfortably accommodate ten people. It was modestly decorated with a circular, red lined couch in the centre and a red and grey woven rug in the centre. The six lights mounted on the walls were out and the emergency lights in the ceiling were on instead, giving the room an eerie flush.

Most of the S'kytri on board were now together and the expressions all matched each other's. All of them were full of fright and panic with a mix of confusion. Nalrana and Sukin had been sleeping in here, the latter in a drunken stupor while Radquao had been bunking in a room alone and Yeraq had come running in from the refresher, a white towel wrapped around his waist, water still running off him in steady drips.

RA entered the room at a quick speed, almost crashing into the couch as he did, eager to get out the words that filled his processor. "Mistress is gone," he said, almost stumbling. "My mistress is gone."

"What do you mean?" asked Keing, half worried, half curious.

"There was a light in her room and she was taken through the mirror," the droid replied.

There were looks of incredulity exchanged at the droid's claim but it seemed there was more to tell.

"There's a ship outside," said Neash in a tight voice, adding to it. "It just appeared out of nowhere."

"I got woken up for this? A rouge ship and a droid's bizarre claim of people disappearing through mirrors?" asked Sukin, clearly displeased as he pushed a few wayward strands of messy black hair off his forehead, the stink of alcohol still on him.

"Have you looked around?" asked Radquao, turning on him. "The lights have gone out and strange things are happening all around us and we appear to be stu..."

Radquao's sentence was cut short as an indistinct rattling noise sounded above them. It continued across and seemed to continue out in the hallway. They all continued to stare up at the ceiling and follow its path but then they went back to exchanging looks of uncertainty.

"What in the blazes…?"

"Something's out there," murmured Neash, ignoring what Sukin had just uttered.

The chatter amongst them rose momentarily before another of their kind entered the room, making all of them quieten down quickly. "Calm yourselves," said Umyd.

The others nodded as they watched Umyd join them near the couch. The light, floor-length grey robe swished about his ankles as he walked, his blue wings moving smoothly with each step. The pale, tired blue eyes searched all of them measuredly before he spoke again.

"There is a presence among us," he said in a reassuring tone. "But I do not believe it is of evil…"

The emergency lights in the ceiling flickered and a new sound reached them. A couple of them flinched as scratching at the metal walls pierced through their eyes while the others just covered them and squinted, waiting for the chilling sound to disappear.

"You call that not evil?" asked Nalrana in a shrilly, disbelieving voice when the noise had stopped.

"It's more of a side effect," said Umyd, unworried. "We should all stay here. I do not believe we are the intended targets."

There was a slight pause.

"Oh, is this all that force-sensitive stuff?" asked Sukin after a slight yawn.

Umyd only nodded once. "Then why didn't I sense anything?" asked Radquao, a slight frown on her young face.

"You're still young, child," said Umyd. "You're still honing your skills. Whatever it is, it wanted Murata."

"So… what do we do now? Wait?" asked Nalrana, looking around.

"Search the ship," said Keing before their mentor could speak. "We need to make sure nothing else is wrong."

"Agreed," said Umyd. "Pair up."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A creaking sound echoed through the ancient ship and another groan resonated far off in the distance. The wide mirror in one of the many sleeping quarters on board began to ripple, the surface resembling flowing water. A bright light burst through it without difficulty and floated towards the centre of the room. It slowly came to a stop and hovered a moment longer before definable shapes emerged. Two young girls returned to solidity as did the Kiros bird that accompanied them.

Murata stooped as her feet hit firm ground. She took a moment to steady herself before she looked around. The room was lavish and yet had a subtly to it. There was a fireplace across from where she currently stood, the grate already burning hot with a fire. Beside it, Murata could see that the door was different than on her ship. The hinges alone proved the age of the ship. Behind her was where they'd come in and she noted the silver spiralled frame that housed the reflective surface. The flooring was a tan carpet that was threadbare and old and the walls were white and bare. A few feet from them was a small, wooden table and two armchairs that had the same texture as the carpet.

The Kiros bird settled on Murata's shoulders as Me'lan glided past them, settling into the armchair nearest the fireplace. In a single wave of her arm she made an ample silver tray appear on the table as well as gesturing at the other armchair. Murata vaguely shrugged before walking over and taking the seat. She looked towards the tray and saw that it was laden with a round pot that matched the tray, steam pouring through the spout. Both cake and cookies sat beside the pot, each on their own plate, along with a knife and two forks.

For the second time, Me'lan waved her hand and the knife rose into the air and easily sliced through the cake, creating a generous piece. It was placed on a plate and pushed to one side. The plate of cookies was then moved closer to Murata before the pot of tea lifted up and the hot liquid went into each cup.

"That is for your pet," said Me'lan, indicating the cake.

Murata opened her mouth to correct her but decided against it as the Kiros bird didn't wait a second before pushing of Murata's shoulder and flying over the table. It landed softly and perched itself on the edge before digging into the cake with zest, no longer interested in the actions of the other two. When the drinks were poured, Me'lan picked up one with her hands and offered it to Murata who took with a nod of thanks. One sniff told her it was tea. Me'lan then picked up the other and took a sip, Murata quickly doing the same.

"Sugar?" asked Me'lan sweetly.

Murata shook her head. "No, thank you," she said politely. "So... you live here?"

"Yes," said Me'lan quietly. "I have lived here for as long as I can remember. It's been a long time since I've had company."

"Is that why you came onto my ship?" asked Murata curiously.

For spilt second Me'lan appeared alarmed as though something were wrong. "I scanned you before I entered," said Me'lan, voice now even quieter. "I hope I didn't frighten you. It wasn't my intention."

"No, no," said Murata quickly, raising a hand. "It's fine. I was more than a little surprised at seeing someone on my ship but I do enjoy meeting new people."

"Excellent," said Me'lan, a faint smile gracing her pale, delicate features. "Tell me about you and please have a cookie, unless you'd like a piece of cake..."

All of a sudden, Murata felt overwhelmed but as she put her tea down, she shook her head and picked up the cookie sitting closest to her on the plate. "No, a cookie is more than enough, thank you."

Murata took a petite bite. It was crunchy and sweet tasting, the combination working well with the tea. Murata put the rest of it beside her tea cup and leaned back in the armchair, getting herself comfortable before she revealed her past to a stranger. It almost felt a little strange but Murata knew it wasn't the first stranger she'd spoken to like this.

"Well, let's see..." murmured Murata. "I was born on Tanquilla Beach. It's a shadow port. I'm an only child. Both my parents are deceased. They died when I was five. It's just been me and my droid since. The ship I fly belonged to my parents. I picked up where they left off."

"Tanquilla Beach... sounds familiar," interjected Me'lan dreamily.

"From what I remember it's a beautiful place," said Murata.

"Forgive me for asking but... you are human, correct?" asked Me'lan hesitantly.

For a moment Murata couldn't imagine why such a question would come up but then she noticed that Me'lan looked between her eyes and the top of her head. "Oh, yes, I am," said Murata with a small chuckle. "My mother wanted a unique child so they had me genetically altered to have pink hair."

"Does that fact make you angry?" asked Me'lan with a slight frown.

"No," said Murata honestly. "I know that if they hadn't done anything I'd have brown hair, like they both had. There was a point where I almost felt separate from them but it doesn't anymore. I do feel unique, compared to other humans anyway."

There was a pause between them as Murata finished her cookie and drank a little more of her tea. After Murata put her cup back down Me'lan poured more tea into each. Me'lan then continued to sit up straight in her armchair, her pose rigid and awkward. Murata glanced at the other girl beside her and the questions mounted. For years she flown all over the galaxy but this was the first time she'd met someone like Me'lan.

"I'd like to know more about you," said Murata gently.

"I'm afraid there is not much to tell," said Me'lan sadly. "I have forgotten much of my own history. I cannot recall the last time I spoke with somebody."

"Then tell me what you do remember," said Murata. "I've noticed you have powers."

"I do not know where they came from," said Me'lan in the same sad tone. "I'm alone and have been for eons. The only clue I have to my past sits on the mantel above the fireplace."

Murata looked to the mantelpiece and saw a framed photo sitting on top it. Murata got to her feet and walked over. In the photo were two male and two females along with Me'lan. But in the photo she looked different. Me'lan's hair was still long but hung around her loosely and the colour looked more vibrant. She was also wearing a simple yellow sundress that had a pale yellow ribbon wrapped around her middle, the ends bound together into a flower. There was a smile on the young girls face and Murata smiled faintly while she looked at it.

"So, you don't know who these people are?"

"No," said Me'lan, coming to stand beside Murata, making her jump. "I've always assumed they were my parents and sister but I'll never know for sure." Me'lan paused for a moment before asking, "Would you like to try on the dress I'm wearing. I think it would suit you."

Murata opened her mouth to reply but it was already too late. She looked down to see that her clothes were changing. With wide eyes she looked up. Me'lan was holding her arm out, hand facing upwards and swinging it in a circle, counter clockwise. The feeling on her body shifted and Murata looked back down. Her clothes were gone and she was now wearing the same yellow sundress that Me'lan had on in the photo.

With the photo still in hand, Murata dropped her arms and approached the mirror, both eyes going wider still. The dress fit her incredibly well and she turned on the spot, keeping her eyes on her reflection. When she was done she took a step back and turned, noticing that Me'lan was doing the same thing with her arm but this time going clockwise. The dress came off quickly and soon she was back in her own clothes.

At feeling herself again, Murata lifted the photo and looked at it again. Part of her had hoped that maybe she'd recognise someone but none of them looked familiar. The older male was tall with white hair and a long white beard that easily reached the middle of his torso. The hard eyes were turquoise and he was dressed in a sleeveless pale blue robe and a pointed hat that matched in colour. Beside him was a young woman with long teal hair and vivid green eyes. Her skin was pale white and she wore a dress of white and gold, the head piece matching.

A little distance between them was another male. This one was younger with pallid white skin that was marked with red stripes on his bald head and face. The red eyes gave him an evil appearance as did the black armour he wore that seemed to cover him completely. The other female's appearance was simple in comparison to the others. She seemed tall and was beautiful with long, straight blonde hair and silver eyes that shone through the photo. She was also dressed in a unadorned but classy, pale green robe.

Murata hummed to herself and she put the photo back before she went to sit down. Me'lan silently trailed behind. Murata ate another cookie and finished her tea. She realised Me'lan had finished before her and was staring at the far wall, daydreaming about something. Murata almost wished she knew of some way for Me'lan to remember who she was but at the moment she felt powerless to help.

"Must you leave straight away?" asked Me'lan when Murata stood up again.

"I suppose not," said Murata with a faint shrug. "Did you have something in mind?"

"I could give you a tour of my ship," suggested Me'lan, standing.

"Alright," said Murata, smiling. "Come on, Mralkara. You can have some more cake later, if you're good."

The Kiros bird squawked once before it launched into the air and flew towards Murata, landing easily on her shoulder. Murata then turned and watched as Me'lan opened the door with a simple flick of her wrist. Then, together, they left the small bedroom.

* * *

The cockpit of the Red Dwarf Stinger was overcrowded as everyone watched Radquao work at the computer on the console, her slender fingers moving effortlessly. There was barely a sound as she worked, the odd clicking of Sukin's tongue or the short, amazed gasps from her own mouth broke the silence.

Most of the others seemed interested with the exceptions of Sukin and Nalrana who both lingered at the back, their demeanours relaxed. Umyd stood to the side, arms folded over his chest, his face lined heavily in concentration. Deep down he was curious but not once did he let it show. Yeraq stood a few feet from their mentor, his fingers twitching together in a fearful manner and both Neash and Keing were crouched low beside Radquao, oddly fascinated by all the information coming up.

"I don't... wow..." muttered Radquao.

The tapping of the keys suddenly sounded loud in her ears as she continued to work, her eyes widening with each new thing she learned.

"It's not possible..." she breathed, clearly exasperated by something.

"Are you gonna share or not?" barked Sukin impatiently.

"There's no need to be rude," snapped Keing, turning on him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Sukin sardonically, pushing off the wall to approach the group. "I thought we were in a hurry, that finding Murata was important."

"It is," said Keing. "But the situation needs to be looked at properly and the rudeness isn't needed."

Sukin opened his mouth to respond but their mentor cut across him. "That's enough, from both of you," he chided. "Radquao, what have you got?"

The group's attention went back to the console where all the information was. As though uncomfortable, Radquao shifted in the chair, knowing that all eyes were on her and all of them were waiting to hear what she had. A deep sigh escaped her before she spoke.

"There's no trace of the ship," she started, leaning back in the chair. "It has no energy, no output, nothing."

"What are you saying?" said Umyd quietly.

"I'm saying that the ship is dead and it doesn't exist," clarified Radquao.

A noise of derision sounded in the cockpit as Neash moved towards the viewport and pointed out with her index finger. "What do you mean it doesn't exist?" she asked incredulously. "I can see it!"

Radquao shrugged. "I can't explain it."

Silence surrounded them again as no one was sure of what to say or do next. A few exchanged looks went around but it provided no solutions to their problems.

"So what do we do?" asked Yeraq quietly.

"It's simple," said Nalrana, stepping forward. "We go aboard that ship and find her."

"That sounds..."

"Awesome," said Radquao, finishing Yeraq's sentence. "Imagine what we could learn just being onboard that ship. All the wonders it must carry."

"I was going to say scary but alright..." said Yeraq, still fidgeting.

"It's a good idea," said Umyd after a moment's thought. "We cannot just wait here and see what happens. As I said before, whatever entity is among us is not evil. I do not believe it will bring us any harm. You should be safe. You'll split into pairs. Radquao, you'll go with RA. Sukin and Nalrana, Neash and Keing and-"

"I am not going," said Yeraq, clearly flustered, not caring that he interrupted his mentor. "Say what you will but I will not step one foot on that ship."

"Fine," said Umyd coolly. "You can stay on board with me. The rest of you must get prepared. Take nothing with you except glowrods for light." He paused to look their young faces and at their nods, he gave one too. "Radquao, connect to the ship."

Leaning forward in her chair again, Radquao went to another part of the console and she flicked and operated the controls with expertise. As soon as her fingers stopped, a new sound reached them. The umbilical mechanism kicked into life and shot through space, honing in on the airlock. It snapped together easily and by the time they got to the locked hatch, they were ready to depart.

With a soft tug, Umyd opened the hatch and one by one, they walked inside and headed for the mysterious ship. The door on the other side opened with a hard push and cautiously, they stepped on board. Once they were all on, they stood huddled together, glancing at the various directions they could go in from here.

"Is this a labyrinth or a ship?" asked Sukin, taking a few steps forward.

"Do you even know what a labyrinth is?" asked Neash with a cheeky grin.

"Alright," said Radquao, before anything else was said. "We don't have time to waste. Pick a corridor and follow it. We'll meet back in an hour."

Nods and murmurs went through the small group but they soon separated and headed in different directions. As each of them disappeared down one of the many corridors, the glowrods were shaken and the cylinder shapes glowed with bright, neon colours.

The yellow glowrod shone brightly in Radquao's hand as she and RA made their way down one of the centre corridors. They passed several doors, most of which wouldn't open and at the first one that did Radquao poked her head around to see inside. The room was small but empty, causing her shoulders to droop a little in disappointment.

They kept going down the corridor but Radquao slowed again at seeing a wooden framed mirror hanging on the wall, surrounded by two landscape paintings of places that she didn't recognise. At coming to a stop she held the glowrod up higher to see them a little better. The wood was plain and smooth, shaped simply to fit the mirror.

"I doubt any of these exist anymore..." she uttered to herself.

The gears of RA filtered through her ears as he turned back and stood beside her. "We must keep going," he said, a trace of desperation in his voice. "My mistress could be hurt or worse..."

The sentence was left unfinished as RA was unable to utter the words he dreaded the most. But he didn't need to finish them as Radquao turned and nodded, understanding that he was right. Despite the situation they were in, she still made mental notes for later, knowing that this is probably the only time she'd get an opportunity like this.

On the far left side of the ship were Neash and Keing. The white and neon pink lights from their glowrods shimmered along the white walls, creating an enthralling pattern. Their shoes echoed all the way down the corridor but when a new sound reached them, they stopped, letting silence encircle them once more.

"What is that?" whispered Neash.

"Probably just the wind," said Keing, attempting to calm Neash as well as herself.

The thumping noise became louder, making both of them jump. The noise then seemed to move. Both Neash and Keing looked up at the ceiling as it seemed to pass overhead, continuing down the corridor. When the noise vanished altogether, they exchanged looks of relief before they kept going.

In a corridor nearby, Sukin and Nalrana explored, their glowrods of white and green lighting up the area easily. Sukin ran both hands down each side, noticing the roughness of the walls. Nalrana followed just behind him, trying each of the doors that they passed to see if they opened. At halfway down, none of them did so far.

In a flawless and metal framed mirror at the end of the hallway, Murata and Me'lan appeared. On a single glance around Murata saw familiar face. It seemed they were situated at the end of one of the many corridors and it was the same corridor that Sukin and Nalrana were exploring.

Sukin had both arms stretched out to the sides, his hands running down the walls as he walked and Nalrana walked behind him, her arms folded over her chest while she bit her bottom lip nervously.

"Why is it so dark?" said Nalrana tetchily. "We need something better than glowrods."

"Well, you're stuck with it, so deal with it," snapped Sukin.

Nalrana made a face at Sukin's back before she held up the glowrod she was holding to try and see better. Me'lan watched, her face steeped in curiosity and a small smile then came over her face. Just as Sukin passed the mirror, a flood of lights came on around them, making Nalrana jump.

It was then that Nalrana froze, her eyes focused on the mirror. A feeling of joy passed through her. "Murata..." she uttered, surprised and confused to see her friend in a mirror, standing beside a ball of light. At turning she saw no one behind her and it was then that she realised. She was in the mirror.

"Sukin!" she shouted, running to catch up with Sukin. "I found her!"

Sukin turned, clearly unimpressed and sighed. "What are you talking about?"

Nalrana grabbed Sukin's arm and pulled him back towards the mirror. "I found Murata. She's in the mirror."

"Right," scoffed Sukin, wrenching his arm free. "I think you better lay off the alcohol."

Nalrana didn't find the comment funny and she watched him walk away, down the next corridor but she didn't follow. Instead, she went back to the mirror but at standing in front of it again she found it empty. The confusion within her grew and she approached the shining, reflective surface. But nothing happened and no one was there anymore.

The mirror in Me'lan's room shimmered once again, the surface looking like rippling water and two bright balls of light emerged. They soon solidified back into themselves and Murata couldn't suppress the laugh that rose up within her. Me'lan watched her curiously, seemingly captivated by something.

"What is funny?" she asked, not understanding.

"Did you see the look on Nalrana's face?" asked Murata through her laughter. "It was priceless."

Me'lan gave a smile that made her eyes twinkle and when Murata's laughter subsided she looked to her new friend, plan already in mind.

"We should do that again," said Murata happily. "I'm in no danger but they don't know that. We should have a little more fun while we can."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

For the past few minutes the room had been quiet, the crackling of the fire in the grate the only thing breaking it. In the ancient bedroom, Murata paced back and forth as hilarious ideas rushed through her young mind. At the present, she had a golden opportunity and she had no intention of letting it go to waste.

Across the room, in the armchair beside the fireplace sat Me'lan, patiently waiting to hear what they were going to do next. Food sat before her, untouched, on the coffee table, the Kiros bird sitting nearby on a perch she provided. The mysterious and yet powerful girl had invited her over for a little fun and now she just needed to know what had to be done.

Murata's pink hair jerked with each of her rapid movements and flowed on the small, contained breeze she created as she paced. A few ideas in particular caught her fancy and her pacing ceased, her head slowly turning so she could look at Me'lan. An amused smile crept across her face as she became certain on the ideas she wanted to use.

"Do you know exactly where the others are on the ship?" asked Murata.

"Yes," said Me'lan softly. "Of course."

"Good," said Murata. "Take me to where Neash and Keing are."

Without any effort Me'lan got up from the armchair and headed towards the mirror, Murata by her side in seconds. Me'lan lifted her arm and offered her hand which Murata took while taking a deep breath. A bright white light engulfed both of them and the mirror they faced turned to a silverly liquid, only solidifying once the light passed through it.

After re-emerging on the other side, Murata turned to look behind her. It didn't matter how many times she had already done this. It was still incredibly cool. With a polite gesture from Murata, Me'lan took the lead and they walked down a dark and narrow corridor that had many twists and turns. The amused smile from before was still present on Murata's face as they headed towards two of her friends.

"Where are we?" asked Murata when the other girl stopped just ahead of her.

"The infirmary," answered Me'lan.

Murata stopped beside Me'lan and looked through the mirror into the room they were facing. The infirmary was far more impressive than the one on her ship. It contained a row of five beds on either side and two private screens that were stretched across the back. The high arched windows were boarded up, making it dark and the white lights bounced off the polished floor.

Both girls were easy to spot from the glowrods. Standing in the centre of the room was Neash, the pink light shining on her face. Her green eyes were focused to her right and her fingers fiddled while she bit her bottom lip. From a single glance Murata could see the fear on her face but she couldn't see what was causing it. To Neash's right was Keing, searching through one of the many bedside tables that sat between each bed, the white light from the glowrod aiding in her search. The search through the bottom draw ended quickly and she moved onto the top. Both were empty so she hopped over the bed and went onto the next table.

"We should go…" mumbled Neash.

"What's the problem?" asked Keing. "We're alone here."

"Exactly!" said Neash, slightly taken aback by her raised voice. "We're supposed to be looking for Murata. She's clearly not here. Let's go."

"Well, she has to be around somewhere on this ship," said Keing, shrugging. "There's no harm in just looking around."

"Are you kidding me?" asked Neash, her fear being replaced with annoyance. "You don't know who else could be on this ship and what they're doing with Murata."

"I think you've been watching too many holo-vid movies," said Keing with a faint chuckle. "Just relax."

Keing moved onto the last table in the infirmary while Neash hopped on the balls her feet impatiently, both them remaining oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. Murata's smile grew wider as she looked beside her. Me'lan's face remained mostly impassive as she watched on, her pale lips thinning into what almost looked like a smile.

"What would you like me to do?" asked Me'lan softly.

"How about some light in the room," suggested Murata. "Just a short burst to grab their attention."

Me'lan nodded once and looked into the room, her eyes focused upwards. The row of spheres along the ceiling switched on, making both girls spin around and look up at what was happening. The white light within each one glowed brighter with each passing second until they were far too bright to look at.

"What is going on?" asked Neash in a shrill voice.

The white light burned brighter, engulfing the room, emitting a low buzzing sound that increased in volume. Neash and Keing covered their ears, the former squeezing her eyes shut. In an instant, the light disappeared and the room plunged into total darkness.

"What else are you thinking?" asked Me'lan, watching Murata carefully with a thoughtful gaze.

"Can you project an illusion and turn us into kell dragons or something?" asked Murata hopefully, her beaming smile reaching her face

"If that's what you want," said Me'lan. "I could actually turn you into one if you wish."

Murata instantly laughed. "No," she said breathily. "Just an illusion. I'm sure it will be more than enough."

"Very well," said Me'lan.

Slowly, Me'lan raised an arm and Murata watched as a ball of light grew in her palm. It brightened the dark passageway enough to see the steel cables that ran over their heads. Gently, Me'lan pushed it towards the mirror and the surface rippled as though it were water. Murata lifted her gaze and saw that the sudden activity had been spotted. Neash's fear returned and her eyes widened.

"Keing…"

There was no response and Neash's wings twitched as the ball of light rose up towards the ceiling and the shape faltered as the light slowly fell the floor in a glittering shower. As the light rained down it formed, solidifying into two beasts that easily took up half the room.

"Keing…"

Neash's almost inaudible voice gained Keing's attention and she rose to scold Neash but faltered at the sight that greeted her. Two kell dragons stood near the back wall, their mouths open and eyes focused on the two girls. Neash breathed out sharply, ending in a squeak of fear.

The kell dragons stood their ground, their claws scraping against the polished floor. The dorsal spines quaked with the slight movements they made. Keing moved first, reaching an arm out towards her kin but her fingers only hit air as Neash wasn't close enough. She was already moving backwards, on shaking legs which derived from fear. On the third step back, she lost her balance and fell to the floor, landing on her behind with a defined thud, the pink glowrod rolling from her hand.

The sound of claws echoed against the floor and both girls jumped. Keing was quicker and she grabbed Neash's arm and yanked her up, pulling her towards the door. For a split second, Neash pulled back but at seeing the kell dragon's move closer, her eyes widened and she shoved Keing through the door, quickly following her through, the door slamming shut behind them.

The light projecting the kell dragons slowly dissolved into thin air and once gone, Murata burst into laughter, collapsing on the floor as she held her stomach. Me'lan looked down, watching her with a curious expression across her face but she said nothing, waiting for Murata to finish.

"Did that go how you wanted?" asked Me'lan.

"Yes," rasped Murata, pulling in a deep breath. "That went better than I expected. Did you see the look on Neash's face? I thought she was gonna faint!" Murata added, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Are you not afraid of the consequences?" asked Me'lan.

As Murata pondered the question, she got to her feet and brushed the non-existent dirt from her pants. "There's no harm in a few little pranks."

"Will they see it that way?" asked Me'lan.

"Yes," said Murata. At seeing the slight doubt on Me'lan's face, Murata sighed. "Trust me. I know them. They'll find it funny once they realise."

The ask for trust was quickly considered and Me'lan nodded, the doubt instantly wiped from her face. "Where would you like to go next?"

Having Me'lan on board made Murata smile and without hesitation, she answered. "Radquao and RA," she said, an idea already forming.

With a silent gesture, Murata followed Me'lan as she led her further through the ships hidden spaces. Murata looked in on each room they passed with amazement, still bewildered at seeing a ship this ancient. Never in her lifetime could she have imagined seeing something like this or telling anyone else the things she's witnessed. Who would believe her?

They went up two floors, Me'lan lifted Murata up effortlessly through the vent and they continued on through. As she followed Murata stared at the back of Me'lan. The mysterious girl was unlike anyone she had ever met before. Since stepping foot on the ancient vessel, she couldn't help but wonder what made her special. Why had she been given this opportunity?

The questions quickly ceased as Me'lan came to a stop. Murata stepped in beside her and looked into a large bedroom. The spacious bed was made and neat, the beige cover looking stiff as though it hadn't been used in a long time. Two wooden tables sat on either side with a lamp on each and a matching wardrobe sat against the wall opposite them, its top lying flat against the ceiling. Beside the door was a wooden desk that was splintered and fractured down one side making it lopsided.

This room was not as dark as the infirmary but it was just as silent. From where she stood Murata could hear RA's joints clicking with each of his worried shifts in stance. He stood in the doorway, the red metal from his chassis gleaming from the dim light of each lamp which reflected against the mirror which blinded Murata whenever he turned away from her. Radquao was across the room looking down at a datapad in her hands.

"Should we not move on?" asked RA nervously. "My mistress clearly isn't here. We should move on."

"I'm surprised Murata hasn't taken a closer look at your circuitry," said Radquao, not taking her eyes off the datapad. "You seem unusually nervous for a droid."

The droid seemed to falter in his reply for a moment. "I… I look out for her," he said quietly. "It's my job. It… It is what I was programmed for."

Finally, Radquao took her eyes off the datapad and looked to the cerise plated droid. She almost took the droids tone to be sadness and it almost made her feel sad in turn until she wondered if droids held sentimentality as organics did. Deciding to say nothing, she went back to searching through the datapad, the frown between her brows increasing slowly as her concentration deepened.

"Have you found something?" asked RA, still seeming nervous.

"I'm not sure," said Radquao with a small sigh. "I thought this datapad might have more information on this ship or its crew but there's nothing. There are documents on here but I don't understand any of them. A few of them aren't even written in basic."

"I suggest we move on," said RA, his tone turning determined.

"Yeah," breathed Radquao, setting the datapad onto the bed.

On Radquao's first step, the room went pitch black as the two lamps went dark. From within the pocket of her black skirt, she pulled out the yellow glowrod and shook it. The neon yellow light quickly pierced through the darkness and she released the breath she didn't realise she was holding. RA was still near the door, his optics focused on Radquao. It remained silent as Radquao looked around, her eyes passing the mirror opposite the wardrobe, unaware of who was behind it.

"Whose room was this?"

"I do not remember," replied Me'lan. "But this is the master bedroom. What would you like me to do?" asked Me'lan.

Murata took a step closer to the girl beside her, inclining her head so she could easily whisper in her ear. Me'lan nodded twice as Murata spoke, clearly understanding what she wanted. And all of it was easy enough. She could have done it with her eyes closed or in her sleep. Slowly, she raised her hand to begin Murata's fun.

A soft creaking sound filled the room, lasting only a second but it was enough to catch their attention. "Did you hear that?" asked Radquao, looking towards the noise which appeared to come from the wardrobe.

"Perhaps it was the wind," said RA anxiously. "We should-"

The rest of RA's words were lost as the door slammed shut behind him. The droid spun around on the spot and pushed against it but the door remained solid and closed, refusing to open at the slightest budge. The yellow light of the glowrod shined on Radquao's face as she held up the glowrod. Her mouth was open in surprise and her eyes were wide. The fear wasn't as ingrained as Neash's but it was getting closer.

"Is it locked?" asked Radquao in a shaky voice, her legs unwilling to move so she could check herself.

But the answer didn't come as the faint creaking return, this time lasting much longer. In the glow of the yellow light, the wardrobe door slowly opened to reveal more darkness. Out of sheer curiosity Radquao leaned forward as though wanting to know what was going to come out. But seconds went by and nothing happened. The creaking had stopped and all she could hear was the loud thumping within her chest.

A flash of red eyes pierced through making Radquao yelp as she fell backwards in fright, hitting the floor hard. She lost her grip on the glowrod and it rolled away, stopping halfway between her and RA. The droid merely looked down at it, before glancing back up at what had startled the young S'kytri. The red eyes were gone, replaced once again by darkness but there was something more beyond the wardrobe.

A light wheeze emitted from the droids vocal processor, quickly seizing Radquao's attention. RA wasn't looking at her. His optics were focused on the empty space of wall surrounding the wardrobe. It was clear he was frightened by something as not even his joints could be heard like normal when he was nervous. Radquao followed his line of sight and saw the same thing he did.

Deep shadows rose up against the wall on either side, forming into two distinct body shapes. Each one moved forward at the same time, the shadows peeling off the wall. Radquao squeaked in fear as the silhouettes grew in size, easily reaching the high ceiling, towering over them. The faces of each were bloodcurdling with large, round red eyes that glowed and wide gaping holes where the mouth should have been.

Hastily, Radquao scrambled backwards, jumping to her feet at reaching the door and she shoved RA to the side to push against the door that refused to open. In frustration and fear she slammed her hand against the door, thinking of nothing but getting out of here. Nearby, RA shifted towards her, backing himself against the wall as he continued to stare at the terrifying silhouettes.

At realising there was no way out, Radquao turned and watched with impossibly wide eyes as they came closer, plunging the room into further darkness as they extinguished the yellow light of the glowrod. Radquao's eyes stung as she threw her arms over her head, waiting for the silhouettes to engulf them as well. But only silence hit her before the familiar sound of RA's gears and a tap on her shoulder.

"The door is open."

Radquao spun around at RA's claim and found that it was indeed open. With the fear remaining, she turned to look at the rest of the room, finding the shadows and their terrifying faces gone. Light once against flooded the room from the two lamps beside the bed and the glowrod that still laid untouched on the floor. Quickly, Radquao picked it up and headed for the door, grabbing RA's arm on the way out.

"Next time I'll listen to you, I promise."

With a soft touch, Me'lan closed the door after their departure and looked down at the girl on the floor who was laughing through her tears. Murata was undeniably amused after Me'lan's impressive display but she bent down to her eye level, soon catching her gaze when the laughter died down a little.

"Is that what you wanted?"

"It was perfect," claimed Murata, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. "So perfect. It's like you read my mind. Now, let's go find Sukin and Nalrana. You know where are they, right?"

"Of course," said Me'lan, standing. "They are in the mess hall. It is on the floor below us. What did you have in mind?"

Murata got to her feet and took a few shaky steps around to feel back to normal but she shook her head slowly when she looked at Me'lan. "Not yet," she said quietly. "I want to see the mess hall first. I have an idea but I might need another idea if it doesn't look right."

"Follow me then," said Me'lan.

They walked back through the walls, heading down the vent to the floor below and Me'lan led her up a narrow passageway that was full of cold air. They walked for minutes before almost reaching the end. Me'lan soon stopped and Murata did as well beside her. Murata recognised another mirror that looked into the mess hall from the back of the room. Across the room, near the corner was another mirror and it suddenly had Murata wondering.

"Did you put all these mirrors in each room?"

"No," said Me'lan simply. "I'm not sure who did. Perhaps someone else used them as I use them now. But I do not know."

"Alright," said Murata, moving on. "I want them to be chased around the ship. Make it an illusion but I don't want them knowing that, well, not straight away."

Me'lan looked beside her slowly, a questioning expression falling over her face. "Would that scare your two friends?"

"I think so, yeah," said Murata, nodding slightly. "I'd be scared if I were being chased by someone holding a weapon."

"Very well," said Me'lan, deciding not to question it any further. "What would you like to chase them?"

Murata smiled broadly as she looked at Me'lan, loving how casually she asked the question. Before answering she looked into the mess hall and watched as Nalrana followed Sukin into the kitchen area at the back. Nalrana was searching through everything she came across while Sukin almost looked bored.

"I doubt she's going to be in a cupboard," muttered Sukin, leaning against the large metal sink.

"Would you stop complaining for five minutes and do something useful?" said Nalrana, clearly frustrated. "We're searching everywhere and we'd get through it faster if you helped."

"Fine," said Sukin.

He pushed himself off the sink and approached the cupboards opposite him to help when something caught his eye. Scaly, glossy green skin filled his vision as did the blinding bronze plated armour covering him from neck to feet. From where he stood he noticed the calculating yellow eyes locked onto him and slowly he reached his arm out and clicked his fingers towards his kin.

"Will you stop that," muttered Nalrana, irritated.

Sukin continued clicking his fingers, still hoping it was enough to gain Nalrana's attention. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Nalrana was at the door, pushing against it. Taking his eyes off the Trandoshan he ran to Nalrana and pulled her off the door, not wanting to face the warrior head on.

"What is your problem?" asked Nalrana angrily.

Feeling fed up, Sukin grabbed Nalrana by the elbow and dragged her towards the counter so she could see the Trandoshan for herself. Nalrana's squirming in his grip ceased once she saw him and her eyes widened as a gleam of silver blinded her momentarily. The two S'kytri watched as the towering Trandoshan reached behind his back with both arms and pulled free two curved ryyk blades.

With one step towards them, Nalrana wriggled her arm free from Sukin's tightening grip and she went back to the door. It took a moment for Sukin to noticed that she had left his side and when he did he watched. The Trandoshan still moved but it was slow as though he was scheming.

"Help me!" shouted Nalrana. "Do something!"

Together they pushed against the door, trying to open it. Heavy, loud footsteps sounded on the side, getting closer and closer until a thud pushed against them on the door. Both S'kytri jumped back in alarm and the thud sounded again and they realised that the Trandoshan was just as desperate to get in as they were to get out.

"Let's go," said Sukin, grabbing Nalrana again.

He led her over to the bench and he hopped up and slipped through the gap to the other side. Nalrana instantly copied him and they ran from the room, the loud footsteps sounding behind them. They ran down the corridor and continued until the end, heading right. Nalrana was a few paces behind and she turned to look behind, noticing that the Trandoshan was easily catching up.

Through the mirrors, Murata and Me'lan kept pace with them also, the former not wanting to miss a second. An amused grin was still stuck on Murata's face as Me'lan led them into a tight space. Without wasting time, she looked through the mirror and saw Sukin and Nalrana crouching behind an old sofa. The room was small, looking as though it was used for storage and little else.

The Trandoshan entered the room and glanced around once, easily finding his targets. Sukin was the first to stand, knowing they'd been spotted. Reaching down beside him he grabbed Nalrana's hand and pulled her to her feet. Slowly, they walked the opposite way of the Trandoshan, Sukin's eyes rapidly moving between him and the door.

Once a few feet were between them Sukin turned and ran, pulling Nalrana with him. They continued down the corridor, the loud footsteps still following them. Sukin dragged Nalrana around four more corners and into a tiled refresher. Sukin pulled the shower door open and pushed Nalrana in first and he closed the door behind him. They knelt on the cold floor, their breathing harsh and shallow as they tried to lessen the noise it made.

The refresher door opened again, creaking faintly as it did so and the same heavy footsteps echoed around them. The shower door slid open next and Sukin looked up at the bulky Trandoshan that towered over them, his shadow covering them completely. He moved forward, raising one of his ryyk blades and Sukin moved quickly, shielding Nalrana with his body.

The sword came down, slicing through Sukin's back. The squeezed eyelids relax and he exhaled sharply, quickly realising that he was still alive. He moved his arms from around Nalrana and he looked up, as did she. The Trandoshan was frozen in his attack stance, his yellow eyes glowing. Slowly, Sukin stood up and he waved an arm at the Trandoshan and as his hand went straight through and the surprise showed on his face.

"He's not real," said Sukin in disbelief.

"Oh my…" muttered Nalrana.

Before their eyes, the Trandoshan's body vanished into thin air and once he was gone Nalrana stood up, her heart beating faster than it ever had before and she tugged on Sukin's arm twice, having trouble gaining his attention as it was still on their unreal attacker.

"Let's go," said Nalrana, feeling desperate to get away. Together they stepped out from the shower and the refresher, heading away quickly, hoping to find the others. "I can't believe you protected me…" said Nalrana as they went down the corridor, her voice echoing.

Behind the mirror, Murata smiled, feeling satisfied with how that went. She knew being chased by a scary looking Trandoshan would frighten them and it seemed to work all too well.

"Should we return to the dining room?" asked Me'lan. "Or would you like to scare them a little more?"

"No," said Murata, the smile still on her face. "I think they're all scared enough. Let's go back."

Instead of moving through the ship, Me'lan took Murata by the wrist and they stepped through the mirror, instantly ending up back in the dining area. Me'lan easily settled into her armchair while Murata strolled around the room twice before doing the same, her mind still buzzing with what they'd just done. Her body melted into the softness of the chair as a tiredness she didn't recognise before began to settle in.

"Are there any other tricks you'd like to play on your friends?" asked Me'lan. "Or perhaps you would like to put them at ease?"

"No," said Murata, dismissing both ideas. "Not yet. We'll let them sweat a little. Why? Did you have something in mind?" she added hastily, staring at the girl opposite her.

Gracefully, Me'lan rose from the armchair and glided towards her. "I do but it doesn't involve your friends."

"Okay," said Murata, perking up. "What is it?"

"I would like you to close your eyes," said Me'lan, gently pressing her fingertips together. "And just relax."

Without any hesitation, Murata closed her eyes and waited. A brush of air hit her face and a short rustle of clothes coupled with soft footsteps before the light was blocked, darkening her lids but she kept them closed. Cold skin touched hers as their foreheads linked. An instant later a huge flash of light surrounded them, bathing the room in a white blaze. It disappeared the next instant, taking both girls and the fretful Kiros bird.

"Open," whispered Me'lan.

Murata's eyes opened and she blinked as a bright natural light shone down from above. A thick, white wooden table sat before her, the surface glossy and bare. With a quick look, Murata recognised that they were inside a gazebo. The timber floors were smooth and wide and the oblong structure had low, open white walls around all sides.

In surprise, Murata rose from the white wooden chair and walked towards one side, placing her hand on the low railing as she looked out into a garden. Tall trees encircled the outside while bushes and flowers of varying vivid colours caught her eye. It was familiar. She had been here before, once and no one but RA knew of it.

"How did you..."

"I saw it," said Me'lan, gesturing to her forehead, confirming to Murata what the cold touch had been. "The memory of this place imprinted strongly on you. You have done something wonderful for me and I wanted to return the favour."

Murata nodded, accepting the given answer and she turned to look at the garden again before it occurred to her. "What did I do exactly?"

Me'lan smiled. "You gave me your time and company. As I have told you, I have been alone for a long time. It's been lovely having you here."

"Well, it's not like it was a chore," said Murata, chuckling slightly. "Can we go in there?" she added, indicating the garden with her head.

"Of course," said Me'lan.

Murata followed Me'lan down the steps, turning to look up at the double steel roof. It looked just as she remembered. In her rush of excitement at seeing the rest, she grabbed Me'lan's hand and pulled her towards the garden, breaking into a run. A sharp whistle blew through the air as she called to Mralkara, watching as she flapped her wings and flew towards them.

Before long, Murata came to a dead stop, her grasp on Me'lan's hand faltering. A giant green hedge stood in her way and she looked up. It was twice her height and she could just glimpse the sun overhead. The smile on Murata's face beamed as this was also what she remembered. It had been her favourite place. She could get lost within it for hours and not worry about anything else.

Walking along the outside, Murata headed to the entrance, aware that Me'lan followed. Murata ran her hand along the hedge after the first corner, feeling the softness of the green leaves which was comforting as was the rustling of the twigs. The path they followed was dry and abrasive, the light layer of sand crunching beneath their shoes.

"Is it as you remember?" asked Me'lan, coming to walk beside her new friend, a touch of hopefulness in her voice.

"Yes," said Murata immediately. "I can't believe you were able to do this just from seeing my memories. Your abilities amaze me. What else can you do?"

"I doubt I have discovered all I can do," said Me'lan. "Perhaps together we'll find out."

"Perhaps," was all Murata said, letting the subject drop.

For almost an hour they walked around in circles, finding dead ends everywhere but Murata's spirits remained high as she knew each one led her closer to the exit. But around the next corner Murata's subsequent step faltered as a sparkle of baby blue caught her attention. Two trails were before them and on the hedge between them was a blue ribbon, tied twice around a single twig. The two strands fluttered enticingly in the almost non-existent breeze.

Slowly, Murata approached the ribbon, capturing the strands she ran her hand down the length, the silkiness of each oddly familiar. It looked like another she had, buried in a draw in her private quarters but that one was forest green while this one was a soft, baby blue. The strands slipped from her grasp and fluttered once again, the sight triggering something she had forgotten.

"There is a fountain beyond this maze," said Murata softly.

A cold hand grabbed hers and they lifted, weightlessly, into the air, joining Mralkara, who squawked indignantly. Murata almost felt the same as she looked at Me'lan with an annoyed stare, the frown that formed between her brows growing rapidly. For a moment Me'lan stared back, suddenly taken aback by the change in demeanour.

"Is something wrong?" she asked quietly.

"You realise this is cheating, right?" said Murata. "You're supposed to go through the maze, not over it."

"I see the longing in your eyes and I heard it in your voice," said Me'lan, justifying her action. "Wouldn't you like to get there quicker?"

Murata only thought about it for a second before she answered. "Yes," she said simply.

The annoyed expression on Murata's face vanished as they took off, heading for the fountain she longed to see,Mralkara flying alongside them. The garden passed swiftly beneath her and she kept her eyes downward, the smile returning to her face as she was still happy to see it once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Only silence surrounded them as Murata stared at the fountain she once loved. It looked exactly as she had remembered. The white marble was flawless, the base rounded into the shape of a four leaf clover. In the centre was a spiralling funnel that was over three metres tall. Pure water spurted from the tip and sprinkled into the small pool below like rain.

Remaining in silence, Murata walked to the fountain's edge which her knees touched and she sat down to kick off her shoes and socks which she then flung away, not caring where they landed. Me'lan stood nearby, her body still as she watched on, curiosity covering her face. Murata looked up and smiled at the questioning stare and she couldn't suppress the small breathy giggle that came out.

"Take your shoes off and dip your feet into the water," said Murata. "It feels wonderful."

Me'lan stared for a moment longer but didn't reply. She simply walked to the edge and sat beside Murata. Gently, she bent forward and pulled off her clunky black shoes and the plain white socks she had on underneath. As she was taking off the second, Murata spun around and a light splash sounded as she let her legs drop into the water. Murata swung her legs back and forth a few times, enjoying the coolness of the water.

Soon, a second pair of legs joined hers and Murata watched as Me'lan's pale legs jumped at the touching the water, a few points of her hem caressing it by the barest of margins as well. Murata's eyes remained on the other girl the longer they remained there. Not once in Murata's short life had anything as bizarre as this happened and it suddenly dawned on her that it might not again.

"You have questions," said Me'lan, her blue eyes remaining on their legs in the water.

"I can't be the only person you've met since your family… well, wherever they went, right?" asked Murata. She received a frown in reply, so she added more. "I mean, you've met other people, before me."

"Of course," said Me'lan. "Much of my life I've forgotten but you're the first person to stay."

Murata recognised the sad tone within Me'lan's voice and she suddenly wondered if she should've said nothing. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I'm sure this is the last thing you want to talk about."

"You're right," agreed Me'lan. "I would much rather talk more about you."

"I think you know a lot already, most of it I didn't even have to put into words," said Murata, staggered by the girls statement. "Is there anything specific you want to know?"

"Your droid," said Me'lan, without hesitation. "Where did you get him from?"

"He belonged to my father," said Murata. "Whenever my father travelled for business RA would go with them. After they died, he became my… guardian I suppose," added Murata, struggling to find the right word.

"So… you have no other family?" asked Me'lan, turning her head slightly to look at Murata, who shook hers.

"No," she said, shrugging. "I think my mother mentioned having a sister once but I don't think she's alive."

"And what of this place?" asked Me'lan. Instantly, Murata looked at her, confused. "I brought you here from your memories. You must have been here before for it to be so clear. Tell me about when you first came here."

"Oh…" whispered Murata, nodding her head as she looked to the middle of the fountain, letting her mind focus on what Me'lan wanted to know. "It was a couple years ago. RA was with me. We'd been working non-stop for about fourteen months and RA insisted I take a break. It was his idea to come here. I didn't ask how he knew of this place and he didn't tell me. I assumed he'd been here himself, maybe with one of my parents."

Silence came between both girls. Murata wasn't sure if Me'lan was thinking on what she said or if her answer only brought up further questions. Murata swung her legs a little faster in the water, making it swirl around them before she dipped both hands in and flung a gulp of water into the air making it rain down upon them. It made Me'lan smile and she copied her, throwing water high above them.

"I envy you," said Me'lan.

At the same time after her words they turned to look at each other and Murata watched as a few drops of water slid down the side Me'lan's face. Her blue eyes were wide and round and in that moment Murata saw the beautiful girl that Me'lan was and how she may have looked before she lost everything.

"Why?" asked Murata.

"Despite the challenges you've already faced at such a young age along with being on your own you survived," said Me'lan. "Most people would have given up. You're the strongest person I've met and you're strong because you had to be. Aside from that, you're upbeat, excited about the possibilities of the future and I find that inspiring."

"Wow," murmured Murata, surprised by the answer.

"Have I embarrassed you?" enquired Me'lan.

"No… well, a little," said Murata, correcting herself. "It's all right, I'll get you back…"

Murata leaned forward and splash water in Me'lan's direction. She laughed and joined in the water fight. Murata pushed off the edge and stood in the fountain, putting a metre between them, a laugh on her own lips as she continued with the fun.

By the time their water fight ended, both of them were drenched. Murata's laughs ended last and she turned slowly, her back to Me'lan as she looked into the distance. An idea slowly formed in her mind and a new smile grew on her face. It wasn't far from where they were but Murata was sure Me'lan's powers would work a treat with what she now wanted.

"I know how we can get dry fast," said Murata, turning back to face the other girl.

Me'lan raised her arm and pressed her thumb and index finger together. "As do I," she said quietly.

"No," said Murata, realising that she was about to use her powers. "Your idea is quicker but mine is more fun."

"All right," said Me'lan patiently. "What is it?"

"Podracing," said Murata, her eyes lighting up as her smile grew.

"Baroonda has a few courses," stated Me'lan, standing in the fountain. "Which track did you have in mind?"

"Surprise me," said Murata.

Me'lan nodded once and approached Murata, taking her arm wordlessly. After a flash of white light they were suddenly standing elsewhere. The city they stood in the middle of was devoid of people and apart from that it looked like Murata remembered. Only a few buildings towered over them with the rest barely over two-storeys tall. The roads were wide and paved in cobblestones.

A few metres ahead was the starting line of the track and just before it sat a pod that Murata was sure she recognised. Without waiting, Murata ran up to it and jumped it, noticing that the cockpit was big enough for two people and she smiled when Me'lan almost instantly joined her. Using only her mind, Me'lan piloted the pod and they took off quickly, accelerating to top speed within seconds. Murata watched as they zoomed through the city, the buildings and roads soon far behind them.

They crossed the lengthy steel bridge that overlooked a deep lake, running with incandescent, shapeless water that rushed underneath. Murata barely had time to enjoy the view as they reached the other side. Another city came into view but this one was different. There were no buildings or street signs or paved roads. It was all in ruins and the rubble was high and no one had bothered to do a thing about it.

The pod raced in and out of the ruins easily and in what felt like mere seconds, they were through and into the jungle that preceded the ruins. The bright sun above them was blocked out from the thick trees that soared above them. The ground below them was muddy and the smell of the jungle was thick with an overpowering smell of rotting plants. The sounds of water was subtle but the loudest were the insects that were constantly chirping.

The jungle scene around them lasted longer than the first two and Murata leaned back and looked up, smiling at the wide leafs they passed under. As she shifted in her seat, Murata could already feel that her clothes and skin had dried but she said nothing, wanting the ride to continue a little longer. Since she was little Murata had wanted to be in a podrace and this was just as good.

"Are you alright?" asked Me'lan, noticing the position Murata was sitting in.

At the question Murata sat back up and as she looked ahead of them she could see they were almost through the jungle. The sun shone brightly between two wide trees and her smile grew when her eyes landed on Me'lan at noticing that she was also smiling and although hers showed happiness it wasn't as broad as Murata's.

"I'm great," said Murata cheerfully.

They cleared the jungle and landed in another set of ruins. This one was different to the last. These ruins were barely recognisable and every bit of rubble looked ancient in appearance as though the city once stood centuries ago. Murata looked around, surprise coming over her face as she saw a few walls that still stood despite their age.

The ruins were extensive unlike the other one but they still passed through it relatively quickly as the pod kept at its highest speed. They entered another city, passing through an imposing defensive wall. The interior of the city looked almost identical to the one they started in. Its buildings were modest, lining each street, close together.

As they neared the end Murata watched as the sun began to set on the horizon and she leaned on the side of the pod as she watched it. This experience had so far been better than her first visit here. There was also less people. She and Me'lan had the place to themselves and it slightly enhanced the adventure she was having now.

"Would you like to go around again?" asked Me'lan as they came to a gentle stop.

"No," said Murata, hoping out. "There's one more thing I'd like to do while we're here."

"Anything you want," said Me'lan amenably.

"On my visit here before there was a Majan fireworks show when night fell," said Murata. "I'd love to see it again."

Me'lan stepped in beside her and cold fingers wrapped around Murata's wrist. Murata looked behind them to see the pod disappear and in a single blink they were standing in the garden, the gazebo behind them in the distance. Murata settled on the grass and Me'lan sat beside her. Mlrakara landed a couple steps in front of them and began to preen his feathers.

Murata watched for a moment before a loud noise grabbed her attention. In the distance she watched as a streak of light rose high into the air. It disappeared into the darkness before bursting into a blaze of colour that illuminated the night sky. The blue sparks waved outwards like the ripples of the ocean. They soon vanished, instantly replaced with an explosion of yellow which lit up the sky as the sun did during the day.

"Is it as you remember?" asked Me'lan, leaning forward to look at Murata's face.

"Yes," said Murata, her eyes focused on the burning sky above them.

The dance of colours continued and Murata's eyes widened as happiness filled her. Bursts of green, orange, pink and red filled her vision. The show went for nearly twenty minutes before Murata's mind slipped, focusing on something else, something she had been neglecting since arriving here.

"I should go," whispered Murata.

Slowly, the garden surrounding them began to fade and the gazebo disappeared from sight. Murata spun around as it began happening to everything else and she looked back to Me'lan who was already looking at her. Confusion replaced the happiness Murata felt.

"What's happening?" asked Murata.

"Why must you leave?" asked Me'lan as though not hearing the question.

"My friends," said Murata simply. "I have no idea how long I've been gone but I do know they're worried. I shouldn't keep them in the dark much longer."

"I cannot sustain the illusion if your mind is elsewhere," said Me'lan softly, finally answering Murata's question. "Your mind and memories are what keep the connection strong."

A blazing flash of white light engulfed both of them and Murata squeezed her eyes shut. On opening them she noticed that the three of them were back in the dining room aboard Me'lan's ship. Me'lan was standing at the fireplace, her back to her. Murata stood beside one of the armchairs, her fingers stroking the soft fabric while Mralkara sat on the back.

"I'm sorry," said Murata, feeling bad.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Me'lan, turning around. She took the few steps needed to reach Murata and she wrapped her arms around the girls middle. "I had a lot of fun with you."

"That's mutual," said Murata, smiling, relieved that there was no anger as a result of her mind straying. "We'll meet again. I promise."

"I'm sure of it," agreed Me'lan.

As the two girls parted another thought occurred to Murata and the guilty feeling returned. "I look forward to seeing you again but I have nothing to offer you as a token of our friendship."

Me'lan smiled softly and took a gentle hold of Murata's hand. There was a tender squeeze before they both started to glow. It was a faint, soft white light that seemed to radiate from within. Murata looked at Me'lan before looking down at herself, giggling slightly at the tingling sensation it caused.

"Do not worry," replied Me'lan. "I already have something."

Those words alone made Murata feel better and she looked to the mirror before glancing back at Me'lan. She watched as the other girl approached Mralkara and stroked down her side with three fingers, the bright feathers ruffling at the touch. The Kiros bird then jumped into the air and flew the short distance to Murata's shoulder. A blazing white light filled Murata's vision, Me'lan the last thing she saw.

* * *

The mood in the cockpit was a sombre one. Most of the S'kytri on board the Red Dwarf Stinger were packed inside, along with RA, reflecting on the events on the mysterious ship that lingered nearby. The accounts of each had been difficult to believe but there were no doubts among any of them. Each were currently silent as there were no words to describe how they were feeling at that very instance.

Near the door stood Yeraq, his face still passive from hearing the stories of what had transpired on the unknown ship, with Sukin beside him, arms folded over his chest and eyes on the floor. In the corner was Nalrana, sobbing quietly into her hands while both Keing and Neash did their best to comfort her. Radquao sat in the pilot's seat, leaning on the console as she stared out the window, focusing on the back end of the ship outside.

The longer she stared at it, the more questions that filled her dark eyes and the frown on her face deepened as she tried to work it out on her own. Beside her, RA was seated in the co-pilot's chair, his optics focused on his side of the console as he worked, attempting to forget, even if just for a moment.

"I don't understand what happened," she said, unable to keep her silence any longer.

"We failed, that's what happened," said Sukin testily.

"No," said Radquao quickly. "I mean, I understand we all went through something different but what caused it? How did it know where all of us were?"

"What does it matter?" asked Keing curiously. "Sukin's right. We didn't find Murata. That was the point of us going over there, nothing else."

"We should have been more prepared," said Neash before Radquao could speak again.

"How so?" asked Sukin.

"Research," suggested Neash, shrugging.

"We should have had a strategy," said Radquao, letting her previous thoughts slide from her mind. "We rushed in there without thinking, grabbing glow rods and poking around blindly in whatever rooms we happened to come across. Next time we should plan better and-"

"Next time?" questioned Sukin. "What makes you think there'll be a next time? This was a fluke, a mysterious encounter that only happens once in a lifetime. We don't get another chance to do things right next time. We failed and that's the end of it."

The previous silence returned to the cockpit as they lingered on the evenings events. No matter what any of them did, nothing had worked out how it was meant to and each of them blamed themselves. While they were silent, RA looked between each of them subtly, questioning himself on whether they actually could have done something more.

* * *

Unbeknownst to anyone, the mirror in Murata's private quarters shook slightly, the narrow metal locker beside it rattling in time with it. The smooth, reflective surface turned to liquid but it never left the boundaries of the frame. Instead the liquid rippled within in the confines as though something were disturbing it.

In seconds, a bright light emerged, seemingly from the other side and hovered for a moment before it stopped and changed back into its original shape. Murata stood before the mirror, Mralkara perched on her shoulder and Murata gave the Kiros bird a quick glance before turning sharply towards the mirror, a broad smile on her face.

"Me'lan!" she called happily.

But there was no response as the mirror solidified before her eyes and Murata's smile faltered, only for a moment, realising that Me'lan must have sealed the access already. Without wasting another moment, Murata headed for the door and left her quarters, heading down the corridor, towards the cockpit, knowing people were there as she could hear faint voices.

"What should we do now?" asked Nalrana through her sobs.

"Maybe… we could search again…" suggested Yeraq, despite not going the first time.

"No need," said a new voice amongst them. At the young, feminine voice they all turned sharply. Nalrana gasped loudly at the sight of their young friend and the reactions only made Murata's smile grow. "Hey. Did you miss me?"

Nalrana was the quickest. She pushed off the wall she was leaning against and left the comfort Keing and Neash were providing to hug Murata tightly. A stiff laugh came from Murata as the hug was crushing but she just returned it instead of saying anything.

"Where have you been?" asked Neash, arms folding over her chest.

"It's a secret," said Murata cheerfully.

The quietness seemed awfully loud and Murata was sure she could hear their minds ticking over. "That's it?" asked Keing after a moment. "You can't say anything more than that?"

"I could," said Murata. "But it wouldn't feel right. I know you guys worried and I'm sorry. You should all learn to relax more. You'll live longer."

Out of the group Radquao was the only one who laughed, finding the humour in it. When the laughter died down, the lights within the cockpit came to life, making them all, minus Murata, jump in surprise. Keing moved from beside Neash and stood beside Radquao to look at the console as the latter was currently too amused with Murata's answer to be of much help.

"The power is back," she announced. "We can fly again. I say we leave while we can."

The words reached a retreating Murata as she headed towards the dining area. Keing's words didn't change how she felt. The panic they felt must still be real to them and the need to escape from whatever had found them. And although Murata knew better she wasn't about to let them in on it. It was unnecessary and it wasn't something she ever wanted to share with anyone, at least, not yet.

The dining area on her ship was far less impressive than the one on Me'lan's but it still had a cosy, homely feel. A thick table as long as she was tall sat in the centre, framed by matching chairs and a long window covered one of the walls so that the empty void of space could be seen from anywhere in the room. It was one of the things on this ship that she always admired.

On entering the dining area, she crossed the room, her shoes echoing loudly against the floor and she quickly reached the long window. Me'lan's ship had already started to move. Murata rested a hand against the thick glass as she watched, the happiness from before slipping away.

"Goodbye, my friend," she whispered in a sad tone.

A sudden presence behind Murata made her jump but from the corner of her eye she saw who it was and instantly relaxed. A large, affectionate hand laid on her shoulder in a gesture of support and Murata turned only her head to look at him. Umyd gave her a warm, knowing smile, one that also reached his pale blue eyes. Murata knew there was no need for words and together they watched as Me'lan's ship silently sailed farther from sight until it was gone.

* * *

Me'lan's ship was dead silent. The dining area still bore the marks of people having recently been there and so far, nothing had been cleared or moved. There was no sign of Me'lan in the room itself but a buzz of electricity hung in room's warm air.

A ball of light materialised from nothing and floated towards the mantle. It shook for a moment, a faint buzzing sound emitting from it before a solid object appeared and the light instantly vanished back into thin air. A picture of Murata, in her yellow and black outfit, appeared on the mantle next to the picture of her family.

Despite not being in the room, Me'lan knew of its creation and took heart in it. It alone symbolised the new memories that she had gained and the possibility of similar events repeating themselves again in the future.


End file.
